Operating Partner, Döner Haus (NYC)

Döner Haus is a Berlin-style döner restaurant that started in the East Village in 2023. We’re looking for experienced, independent restaurant operators in New York City to join our Operating Partner program.

This is an independent contractor opportunity, not an employee position, and “Operating Partner” is a program title that does not create a legal partnership. It starts with a paid training period in one of our NYC stores so you can learn the Döner Haus concept and standards. From there, you help us find and build out a new location, then run that store’s operations. Döner Haus funds the buildout, so you don’t need startup capital to apply. Operating Partners earn a set monthly fee plus a share of the store’s profits, and partners who do well may have a path to ownership down the line. We’ll walk through every term in writing before anyone commits.

This opportunity suits someone who wants to run a store as their own business and is ready to be hands-on and closely involved, especially through opening.

What you’ll need

• At least 3 years of hands-on restaurant or food-service experience, including at least 1 year in a leadership role (shift lead, assistant manager, GM, or owner of a family business)
• Comfort with every station in a fast-paced kitchen: prep, grill, assembly, and cash
• Working knowledge of food safety, inventory, ordering, and labor scheduling, and the ability to keep waste and costs under control
• Experience hiring, training, and leading a small team
• The ability to commit the time a new restaurant opening requires, including evenings and weekends
• The ability to stand for long periods and lift up to 50 lbs
• Food Handler’s License
• A professional, accountable attitude: you follow through, communicate when something changes, and treat the store like it’s your own

Nice to have

• Experience opening a new restaurant or managing a buildout
• Familiarity with POS systems, third-party delivery platforms, and reading a basic P&L
• Experience with a franchise or multi-unit brand
• Ties to a specific NYC neighborhood and its customers

Our process includes interviews, a paid working session in one of our stores, and reference checks.

Döner Haus welcomes applicants of all backgrounds and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, or any other protected status.

Pay: $48,000.00 - $200,000.00 per year

Application Question(s):

• How many years of hands-on restaurant or food-service experience do you have?
• How many of those years were in a leadership role, such as shift lead, assistant manager, GM, or owner?
• Can you commit the time a new restaurant opening requires, including evenings and weekends?
• Do you have an NYC Food Protection Certificate?
• Briefly describe a time you opened, turned around, or ran a kitchen or store on your own.

Work Location: In person

Salary : $48,000 - $200,000